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Zoo Animal Breakout LbNA #7250 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:strgzrmomma
Plant date:Feb 24, 2004
Location:
City:Hattiesburg
County:Forrest
State:Mississippi
Boxes:3
Found by: super squid (3)
Last found:May 4, 2004
Status:F
Last edited:Feb 24, 2004
***ALL ARE ALIVE AND WELL AS OF JAN 2005. LOCATIONS HAVE CHANGED,THOUGH, SO READ THE NEW CLUES!*****
Location: Paul B. Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS. Take HWY 49 south from Hattiesburg, the Park is just 10 or so miles out of town, right off of hwy 49. From Gulfport, go north and do the same. The park has a boat launch, fishing, a playground (sort of-lots of stuff broken!) and beautiful scenery of pine forest and lake. Leashed pets are allowed, there is a 2$ per vehicle fee for park use.

Terrain: easy 2 mile walk through the woods. The trail is not stroller or wheelchair suitable.Bug repellent is a must if you are visiting in the summer months! Bring an extra garbage sack and do a little trail clean-up-we loaded our backpack with litter.

Clues: The Hattiesburg Zoo was slow one rainy day in February, and some animals got the itch to travel. A tiger, a zebra and one of those cute little prairie dogs from the cool prairie dog exhibit decided to strike out together for greener pastures. After hotwiring the zoo train, they headed down Hwy 49 to Paul B. Johnson State Park, and decided to explore. The trio followed the signs at the park entrance to the nature trail, and parked the train near the A-frame shelter that marks the entrance to the Trail of the Southern Pines. Of course, being animals they can't read, and instead of following the "trail" posts when faced with a fork, they went right. They went along the lake, and up a small hill. The zebra started complaining about the long walk, and how tired he was, and when the trail flattened out he decided to take a nap. To wake him, look for a big and small dead Loblolly pine that are right next to each other, on the right (east) side of the trail. The big pine has white spray paint on it. The zebra is behind the trees under some pine needles.

The tiger and prairie dog continued on into the forest, coming to a boardwalk over a creek. From the start of the boardwalk, the tiger walked 60 paces. (note-I was in the Army and a pace to me is every time your left foot hits the ground, ie 2 "steps".He's a military tiger.) Look to the right (NE) and you will see a snag that is leaning against another tree. He is under some bark in a hole in the snag, replace it well.

All alone and grumbling about the lazy tiger and zebra, the prairie dog continued across the boardwalk and up a hill. At a fork, he went straight, and at the T junction, he turned left. He went up and down some hills, and at the end of the 4th boardwalk he was a pooped prairie dog. He curled up under the end of the 4th boardwalk, on the right side, under some pine needles.

Continue walking throught the forest, there are more boardwalks and 2 lookout towers, and you'll come back to the A-frame entrance, hopefully with all 3 runaway animals safely in your logbook. If you can hotwire the zoo train, the zoo really needs it back!